Monday, May 30, 2011

Special Baby

For those of you who asked, yes, husband John did buy new shoes with the patience and assistance of daughter Amy. I bailed early in the shopping 'experience'. I learned by the comments to my previous post - that my husband is not unique in his shopping deficiencies. Thank you for your support!


Bundle of Joy
~Base card - PaperTrey Ink
~Design paper - Basic Grey Lilykate Bon Bon
~Ribbon
~Scallop circle by Spellbinders using Cuttlebug; framed layer of Bazzill Herbal Garden embossed using Cuttlebug Swiss Dots; black dots added using black Sharpie fine point
~Sentiment - JoAnn Craft Essentials
~Image was a freebie but I can't seem to figure out who the artist is; colored with Copics
Challenges/Inspirations
Cheerful Stamp Pad - a special reason
Our Creative Corner - baby
Sew Many Cards - circles
Crafty Sentiments - special occasion
Crafting for All Seasons - anything goes

Thank you for clicking by.
Nancy

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Shoe-Shoe Don't Bother Me

Yeah! Time in the bubble. I decided to get busy and work ahead on the request I know will be coming from Jennifer for blingy cards to give as gifts at Christmas. She loves all things bling so I 'kicked' off her yet to come request for cards with this strappy, sassy, party-ready shoe.

While I will admit to hating most shopping I do enjoy shopping for shoes. This enjoyment does have an exclusion - shopping for shoes with my husband (AKA Poppy - the name given him by granddaughter Bailey) and especially when the shopping extravaganza is for FOR my husband. We walk into a large DSW - he astutely notes that there are mostly women shopping and he ingeniously notes that the store is mostly filled with women's shoes. DUH...HELLO....men have but two choices in dress shoes - brown or black, tie or slip-on. Of course there is only ONE aisle of men's shoes!

He takes off his 'weekend' shoes (destined soon for the garbage can) and I see not only thick white gym socks - I'm horrified to see that one of them has a toe peaking through. We are shopping for dress shoes not sneakers! He actually looked stunned when I admonished him about not wearing dress weight socks. He said, "Well these are thin...in places." Did I really need to explain to him that THIN socks (holes in the toes) does not mean the same as thin dress socks? REALLY! What a dork! Such an adorable duffus he is.

If this were a happenstance shoe shopping event I might not be so dismayed - but we got in the car for the express purpose of Poppy Shoe Shopping. Luckily the shoe store sells all types of socks. How very savvy of them to have socks in stock! He not only got a new pair of shoes but new dress socks. The experience was so exasperating I finally left him in the confident shopping skills of our daughter. As they took care of the hunt of the shoe...I trekked down the walk to Archiver's located conveniently next to the shoe store. I was happy to excuse myself from their father-daughter time and they were happy to be rid of me. It was a win-win for all!




Sassy Straps
~Base card - confetti cardstock
~Layer of Bazzill Herbal Garden cardstock
~Layer of Paper Studio Emily's Stripe
~Layer of Paper Studio Emily's Flowers bordered with more Bazzill Herbal Garden
~Pink polka dot satin ribbon strip and ribbon flower
~Free digital image JAK wedding shoe printed on Paper Temptress Cryogen; colored with Copics, highlighted with glitters; die cut using Spellbinder and Cuttlebug; edges smudged with Hero Arts Shadow Ink Soft Leaf
Challenges/Inspirations
i heart to stamp - sketch
Creations by Gill M- green, pink, and flowers
Crafty Catz - pink and green
Daring Card Makers - passion for fashion
Totally Papercrafts - pink and girly
Really Reasonable Ribbon - anything goes
Crazy for Challenges - favorite activity (shopping for shoes!)
Cupcake Inspirations - photo inspiration

Thanks for clicking by.
Nancy in Iowa

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Home Tweet Home

Briar Cliff University graduation was Saturday. (A day filled with pomp, circumstances, hugs, photos, fears, tears, and laughter - I loved every moment of it.) Move off campus day was Saturday. (Yes it is time for ALL the little darlin's to move back home for the summer - we need time to grow to miss them...) Daughter Amy was home for a weekend visit. (Love Amy time - no matter where it is located - but especially love it when she is home and "in the bosom" as she calls it.)



It's not much but Hey Julie LOOK - I finally worked on the INSIDE of a card!

Tweet
~Base card Stampin' Up ~Red cardstock corners
~Bird is from My Mind's Eye Penny Lane corners clipped using Fiskars punch
~Ribbons
Challenges
Shelly's Images - anything goes
Alphabet Challenge - Clean and Simple
Crafty Catz - anything goes

Thanks for clicking by.
Nancy in Iowa

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Penny Tulips

Sunday...chill in the air but the sun is out. I'm loving this cool weather and loving my uninterrupted time in the Bubble. I'm watching The Tudors while working on a few bits and pieces of cards. I should be making graduation cards...goodness knows I'll be needing them. Graduation is Saturday. So is the Tulip Festival in Orange City. I should have made a tulip card!


Chloe on Penny Lane
~Base card - PaperTrey Ink Berry Sorbet
~Layer of My Mind's Eye - Penny Lane
~Layer of green cardstock with more Penny Lane
~Small rectangle of PaperTrey Ink Berry Sorbet and more Penny Lane
~Scallop circle (using Spellbinder's die cut and Cuttlebug) of red cardstock dotted with Sharpie White Poster Paint
~Scallop circle of My Mind's Eye - Penny Lane
~Three Stampin' Up die cut flowers using PaperTrey Ink Berry Sorbet, edges dotted with Sharpie White Poster Paint, rhinestone centers
~Olive satin ribbon
~Digital image by Baby Bud colored with Copics matted on Berry Sorbet
Challenges
Baby Bud Designs - punches and dies
A Spoonful of Sugar - sketch
Catch the Bug - Polka Dots and Stripes
Floweret - Spring/green
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Use it Tuesday - bling

Thanks for clicking by.
Nancy in Iowa

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Kickin' It In Heels

The college kids that came over for hot dogs and movie night last week had a great time as did I. My task of getting them to watch one of my favorite movies is complete. None of them had ever seen it before. They loved The Bird Cage and laughed all the way through it. The evening started with a game of dodge ball in the back yard. Needless to say - I was the cheering photographer not a participant!



Kick Ball!


 Thank goodness for quilts!


What is it about the BUTTON BOWL?



And now for a card. The shoe was part of a card from niece Linda. I couldn't NOT use the beaded shoe - so consider it re-purposed!


Pump Up the Beads
~Base Card PaperTrey Ink Berry Sorbet
~Layer of My Mind's Eye Penny Lane
~Strips of My Mind's Eye Penny Lane
~Lime green cardstock, edged using Martha Stewart punch
~Layer of off white iridescent cardstock
~Beaded shoe - re-used from previous card
~Lime green sheer ribbon/bow
~Three red rhinestones
Challenges
Anita Be Stampin' - sketch
Our Craft Lounge - photo inspiration
Southern Girls - Let's Hear it for the Girls
Shabby Tea Room - photo inspiration (girly, textured, pinks)
Stampin'Bs - TGIF: texture, green, iridescent, and anything that begins with the letter 'f'': foudroyant (meaning dazzling)

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

News Flash: I HATE Being HOT!

I finally made it back to my blog! This is a record for me not yakking it up and not having card making time! Too many end of the school year events to attend! Too many really bad re'sumes to review! Too many panicking seniors looking for jobs!

Six of 'my regular peeps' (students who frequent my office) are coming over for hot dogs and movie night tonight. They are all bringing side dishes and who knows what else. We are going to watch The Bird Cage which none of the students have ever seen. It is a classic in my book!

This should be fun...my family room has no furniture (long story)...(but they're kids...right?...they are used to sharing an 10' x 11' DORM room...PLUS my air conditioning is not working which they are ALSO used to as their dorms are not air conditioned...barbaric isn't it!).

Here is the card I put together over the course of many 10 minute intervals over many days. I just couldn't help myself - I saw her face and this is what popped into my head for a sentiment.

The sentiment is especially perfect considering we are currently without air conditioning the outside temperature peaked at 90 degree fahrenheit and aren't scheduled for a repairman to come until the week of the 23rd.
 
I need some serious uninterrupted Bubble time - just me, my paper, my Copics, and tape gun...in the MUCH cooler temperature of the basement.

Graduation can't get here soon enough!



A Visit from the Fairy
~Base cared - PTI Enchanted Evening
~Layer of DCWV Once Upon a Time design cardstock
~DCWV Once Upon a Time die cut corners
~Strip of Glitter Stack cardstock
~Digital image by Black Leaf Studio colored with Copics, dotted with Stickles, wings coated with Inkssentials Crackle Accents
~White dots made using Sharpie White Poster Paint Pen

Challenges
Flourishes - anything goes
Crazy Challenge - anything goes
DDH - bling
Creative Cowgirl - anything goes
Emerald Fairies - anything goes
Paper Sundaes - magical and mythical
Pile it On - funny sentiment or image
Crafty Catz - include a sentiment
Delicious Doodles - fantasy/mythical
Digi's With Attitude - make us laugh sentiment
Do You Stack Up - purple
Southern Girls - let's hear it for the girls

Thanks for clicking by.
Nancy in Iowa